Chapter 20 - Searching For Allies

"Where should I begin? My memories from before this job, guarding the entrance to Hive and this mansion, are hazy at best. Some of them might even be fake. When I was trying to connect with my past, I realised there was nothing to connect. And then, since day one, I felt eyes on us. There were cameras in location we weren't told. Nothing was adding up. Who am I? Why am I here? What led to this…nothing. It wasn't obvious at first but when I started digging it became obvious," Aurum sat on the couch, his legs crossed, his forearms resting on his legs as he looked towards the woman sitting opposite to him.

Her name was Lisa Addison, she had infiltrated Umbrella Corporation and along with all her supporters they sought to expose the organisation for all its corruption and unethical research.

"That's what led you to believe that they experimented on you?" Lisa Addison was recording the session, although it was only audio. She frowned, "No, you said there were cameras here? Secret ones? Then—"

"I hacked them."

"What?" Alice, who was calmly sitting on the sofa leaned forward, hearing that for the first time. She was a bit distracted staring at her fake husband's face, especially when he tilted his head to the side, his spiky blonde hair shifting with the shift in weight, his eyes looking nonchalant.

"I mean. It surprised me too. I bet they didn't know I had a skill like that. I hacked the whole thing. It was easy, actually. Right now, we both have left the mansion and aren't anywhere on their radar," Aurum shrugged, "those aren't the only things I can do."

He put his hand inside the sofa, looking in the gap where he hid the weapons. He pulled out a gun, shifting it from his right hand to left, pointing towards the wall on his left when he noticed how tense they were, "Oh, don't worry. I don't need a gun to take care of you."

"That doesn't make me feel better," Lisa glanced towards Alice, who silently gestured her to stay calm when both of them jerked, hearing one gun shot after the other. They looked towards him, then towards the wall where he had formed a circle by firing the shots. He put the gun on the table, where they could easily reach it before putting his hand in the gap.

He looked for the knifes, there were a few sprawled around inside there, taking out three of them, "See this. I can do a few circus tricks, too."

He held the three knifes, each between the gap of his fingers. He pointed his left hand towards the circle, using his fingers to throw the knifes one after the other, and they went straight, slamming into the wall, each piercing through the hole made by the gun, "Do you realise how much dexterity and strength one requires to throw a knife while using third and pinky-finger?"

He looked at their faces, while impressed, they still didn't understand, "How about I give you an easier demonstration? Not of skill, but something simpler."

He picked up the gun, taking out the magazine. He pushed out the bullet before putting the gun and magazine on the table. He grabbed the bullet, pressing it between his thumb and finger. He clenched his teeth, feeling the pain in the tip of his thumb and finger. Veins started to appear on his forearm but he still kept going.

"Aurum, what are you doing?" Alice asked, confused by his actions. Soon, her confusion shifted, making her as a different question as she widened her eyes, "No…how are you doing that?"

Aurum dropped the crushed bullet on the table, feeling the pain in his arm. He swung his fingers while looking at their shocked face. He could see Lisa's palm trembling as she reached out for the bullet, "I realised I trained and I possessed high strength. I thought it was the same level as some trained profession, so I was testing how much. Though soon I realised it is far more than what a human possesses. Strength, speed, reflexes…endurance."

He glanced towards Alice, "through my endurance has taken a hit."

"Your endurance has taken a hit," Alice felt her eyebrow twitch.

"Yeah, other than physical strength. I can see people's death. Though it drains me and I can't control it. That's why I am always so tired," Aurum scratched his head in embarrassment.

"You are always tired," Alice gave him an exasperated look, making Lisa questioningly look towards her.

"He's …really energetic," Alice awkwardly answered her query, "Like really energetic."

Aurum cleared his throat, thinking she was trying to keep his heart. Especially since he fell asleep in the morning, "thank you. I know it is hard for you to believe that someone can see the future."

"Of course, I don't believe it! Your supernatural strength that has to be from Umbrella's experiment, right?! What are they trying to do?! Are they trying to make soldiers?! Tell me!"

"I don't know. Memory problems, remember," Aurum ignored her enthusiasm and desperation, pointing towards his head, "The point is. If it happens, if everyone in the lab dies today, then I don't want you two thinking I am the one behind it. At the same time, I want to make sure that your plans weren't what led to this happening."

"That's why the two of you will be staying here," Aurum got on his feet, "Now that we are done with that…I am going to get clothed."

He walked away, leaving Alice and Lisa to look at each other in confusion.

As soon as Aurum was out of earshot, Alice turned to Lisa, leaning forward and whispering, "Did you see his strength?"

"Could this be fake," Lisa picked up the bullet, trying to press it, wondering if there was a trick to it, "And those skills. Military? Private soldier? Mercenary?"

"Whoever he is. Those skills are not normal. Let alone hacking," Alice furrowed her brows, "I was too busy with Umbrella to notice that their greatest experiment was right beside me. Can we use him as proof?"

"Are you kidding? Supernatural strength, reflexes, endurance, and who knows what more. It will have the opposite effect," Lisa scowled, "The government might actually support Umbrella and invest in their research if it got out!"

Alice let out a relieved breath, and Lisa noticed that. She was about to get on her feet when she felt a sharp prick on her neck. She widened her eyes, glancing towards him, only to see a syringe plunged in her neck, which he pushed. She tried to keep her eyes open, she could see Alice rushing towards her, worried, but before she could make it, she fainted.

"Why?!" Alice held Lisa, glancing towards the gun while staring at her fake husband who stood there in an underwear and a white shirt, looking towards her with cold eyes.

"It was your fault," Aurum circled around the couch, and Alice lunged towards the gun and magazine with all intention to turn and point at him when she felt his arm snake around her waist and pull her in a hug. She froze, hearing his voice by her ear, "You know when I first learned that I can see the future. I did what anyone would do. Try to change it."

"And my success rate is a brilliant zero. Not once did I manage to change the future that I saw."

"Then…you have seen the future you saw happening?" Alice looked towards the gun, then towards his forearm that was in front of her neck.

"Yes, I have. Ironically, since I managed to stop her from leaving, it proves that she is innocent and the future I saw didn't happen because of her. But this is the first time that I managed to change anything. If she doesn't leave here, then at least her death changes…if so…then I'd have proof that others can be saved."

"I never saw this side of you…darling," Alice glanced back from the corner of her eyes, looking him in the eye.

"Yeah well, never showed it before," Aurum let go of her, and she instinctively turned to point the gun at him before shaking her head, dropping the thing to the side.

"What do we do now?"

"Wait…" he shifted his vision between Lisa, the gun and the knives, "Wait and prepare."

He gently stepped closer to her, brushing her hair aside, peering into her eyes, "I do like you."

Alice looked at him with a complicated emotion. She pulled away, turning her back to him, "what do we need prepare?"

Aurum hugged her from behind, nibbling her ear, "How about we take a quick bath first."

Alice tried to pull away when he started kissing her neck, making her close her eyes, "you…I don't have as much stamina as you…"

"Then, I'll make it quick," Aurum whispered in her ear, abruptly picking her in his arms, seeing the smile on appeared on her delicious lips.

"Ok, only once."